Webber: ‘We’re the Better Team’

The bounce-back factor is always important for a team that loses on a buzzer-beater. Instead of seizing a commanding three-games-to-one lead, the Kings returned Sunday evening to Sacramento tied with the Lakers, two games apiece.

“It’s the luckiest thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” Hedo Turkoglu said of Robert Horry’s three-pointer that made the Kings 100-99 losers in Game 4 on Sunday at Staples Center.

Whether the Kings get over it before Game 5 on Tuesday at Arco Arena remains to be seen. They sounded down, but defiant after squandering a 24-point second-quarter lead. They also sounded frustrated and angry.

“I would rather lose this way than by five or 10 points,” Chris Webber said. “We were one lucky play away from a win. We were one second away. We’ll be OK. We’ll come back and play. We feel we’re the better team.”

The Lakers’ physical play in the second half and the referees’ willingness to let them play in that manner troubled King Coach Rick Adelman.

“The game is not supposed to be that physical,” he said.

“You’ve got to adjust. Every game is different.... I am interested in how we respond. We’ve never not responded.

“The momentum has shifted, though, so I’m interested to see how we respond. I’m sure I know the answer, though.”

Backup point guard Bobby Jackson watched the Lakers’ physical pressure against starter Mike Bibby and gnashed his teeth.

“As a point guard, you see everything going on,” Jackson said. “There’s no way possible that should be allowed.

“They [the refs] let a lot of stuff go. The refs have to recognize it. With all the grabbing and holding they did, they let them [the Lakers] play like that.”

Facing the same pressure, Jackson missed 10 of 12 shots and scored nine points.

He was averaging 16.3 points in the series and was Sacramento’s third-best scorer.

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Swingman Peja Stojakovic, out since spraining his right ankle May 9, is expected to participate in more strenuous drills during the Kings’ workout today at Sacramento. Stojakovic has been running lightly on his own the last few days, but Adelman made it clear it was time to step up his workouts.

“If he can cut and it feels good, we’ll make a decision [today],” Adelman said of putting more pressure on Stojakovic’s ankle in the workout. “He’s only been doing straight up running and some shooting. Now, we’ll see how he does.”